"Jerry-building" Hit in Britain by Town Planner

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 166, 31 July 1937, Page 18

"Jerry-building" Hit in Britain by Town Planner

MANCHESTEB— Outlining the case for the National House Builders' Begistration Gouncil, Tecently formed with the object of securing a minimum standard .of building among its members, Sir {Baymond tJnwin, town planning expert, {osplained here Tecently that confidence |in the building of houses for purchase Ihad been badly shaken by a certain jamount of "jerry-building." i Some of it has been due, Sir Bayfmond said, to the u«e of untested materials, some to. carelessness and want of knowledge on the part of the workpeople, but some has arisen from the attempt to "get away with" more profit than the houses ought to yield. He believes that members, of the building industry must re-establish confidence if there is not to be a return to want of employment. Builders must guarautee their product up to a certain standard, Sir Baymond declared. Either they may do this as an industry or they may expect the Government to be forced to take up inspectiou. The Ministry of Health is intefested in this because it is knowu that publeopiuion would force action. Approval has been given by the Ministry to the. building industry 's aim to put its own house in order. Public confidence, Sir Baymond continued, has been shaken by the work of a minority and would be best xestored through a couneil on which all parties, such as house and contract builders, krehiteets, and quantity surveyors, would be xepresented. The couneil by registration is goiug to give approval to ihe building quality of all those builders who are registered. The builder has to give his guarantee that within two years he will make good any failure due to work or materials which are not up to standard. Those who built up to this standard can liave no claim made against them.